Direct Relief Mobilizes Medical and Financial Assistance for Java Earthquake

By Jenny Hutain

Direct Relief today prepared four emergency medical shipments and provided emergency financial assistance in response to requests from hospitals and organizations caring for victims of the May 27 earthquake in Java.

The five tons of medical material, valued at $231,000 (wholesale), will be flown to Indonesia on Tuesday, May 30, for use by Indonesian-based partner organizations and colleague U.S. nongovernmental organizations with medical teams in the region.

The aid shipments contain a disaster module furnished by Johnson & Johnson and other materials including: surgical instruments, sutures, wound dressings, casting material, disinfective agents, antibiotics, oral rehydration solution.

Muhammadiyah, Indonesia’s largest civic organization is among the partner organizations that will receive approximately one-half of the medical material aid, for use in its hospital in Bantul and its eight field clinics being established in Bantul and Klaten (Central Java).

The National Chairman of Muhammadiyah, Dr. H. Sudibyo Markus, today reported that the main facility in Bantul is functioning and providing services, but it is stretched beyond capacity. Two of the delivery rooms have been converted to operating theaters, and orthopedic surgeons have been deployed from the Indonesian government and other Muhammadiyah hospitals to assist with the surge of trauma cases. Post-operative patients are being evacuated to Muhammadiyah schools, although some patients remain in hospital corridors and outside under verandas.

In addition, Direct Relief is furnishing material assistance and cash assistance to partner organization Pusat Kajian dan Perlindungan Anak (PKPA). PKPA is an Indonesian organization focused on children’s rights and health, and Direct Relief is financing three of its health programs in Aceh and Medan in Sumatra as part of the tsunami recovery effort.

PKPA’s executive director, Mr. Ahmad Sofian, is in Yogyakarta conducting a rapid health assessment. Cash support approved today will enable PKPA to send 10 physicians to Yogyakarta to provide medical support, nutrition, and address other urgent needs for affected infants and children.

Persatuan Perawat Nasional (PPNI), another Indonesian partner organization with which Direct Relief has teamed to finance five health clinics in the areas hardest hit by the tsunami, is deploying a team of 20 nurses to Yogyakarta to care for earthquake victims.

Direct Relief has approved $25,000 for this effort, with the funds being managed by CHF International, a U.S.-based nonprofit organization with which Direct Relief has partnered on a large health infrastructure building program in tsunami-affected areas. CHF will also receive and distribute one of the emergency medical shipments through its staff members in Yogyakarta.

Corporate Support:

Direct Relief’s Indonesia material support effort is made possible by contributions from 22 companies:

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